Tidal Change
by MelStitch
Summary: What happens when Juvias' heart freezes and Grays' thaws?
1. From Water to Ice

Juvia POV

Release. That's what it felt like. Complete release. No more worrying about what he thinks. No more wondering if he feels the same way towards me. No more pushing myself to my limits only to be thrown away back where I had come from. I'm not even sure how it happened. I had noticed that I had been slowly but surely easing away from him. Gray was no longer a large portion of my heart. I now only cared for him with the undifferentiated love I had for all my fellow Fairy Tale members. At first Gray had kept up his usual routine of ignoring me, or suddenly deciding to battle Natsu when I got too close. Then slowly, he began dealing with me, talked a little with me, and didn't always run away. I didn't think it was fair. Once I got over him, he began being friendly with me. Why does fate simply not want me and Gray to be together? I suppose it shouldn't irk me as much now as it would have before, but it's still an uncomfortable thought. Lucy noticed me in my thoughtful mood and came to sit next to me.

"Hey Juvia. What's going on?"

"Hey Lucy. Umm, I have a question."

"Oh, ok, sure."

I fidgeted slightly.

"Umm, it's about Gray and me."

I saw Lucy's eyes fill with pity. A look I knew all too well. She knew I was about to ask for romantic advice. However what she didn't know was that my question was not for me to attract Grays' attention, but was about why I no longer wanted it.

"Lucy, why don't I like Gray anymore?"

Lucy's eyes widened a little.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't understand why I used to love Gray so much, and he used to be so wary around me. But now, I'm more casual around him and now he's not ashamed to be seen with me."

I looked sideways at Lucy.

"What changed in me?"

She looked puzzled. Almost as puzzled as I was. She looked at the floor between us for a moment, lost in thought. I was a little worried, maybe she knew the reason, and it was so horrible she didn't know how to tell me. Maybe she just didn't know, and the only way to find out was to face Gray head-on; something I wanted to avoid as long as possible, if not forever. But soon, Lucy just shrugged and said,

"Maybe it's just a Tidal Change."

"A Tidal Change?"

I was aware of all manner of movement of water. I simply didn't know what an oceans' gravitational troubles had to do with me and Gray and our relationship.

"Yah, a Tidal Change. Much like Natsu and Gray, you and Gray are opposites in your own way. A solid and a liquid," Lucy explained. "Don't take this the wrong way, but because you two are opposite, maybe your natural compatibility is keeping you apart."

Normally I would have been upset over someone telling me that Gray and I would never be together. But that was before all of this upset. The news now, just kept me puzzled. Lucy must have seen my lost face because she went on to say,

"In other words, if one of you is nonchalant and distant; in this case Gray, and the other is forward and close; you, then in order for the balance to be kept, if one changed, so does the other."

I took a moment then said,

"So, now that I'm the nonchalant one, does that mean Gray is the forward one?"

Lucy shrugged.

"I guess so."

She stood and stretched.

"But then again, I'm not the most reliable source on this stuff. You could always ask Levy. She might know more about it."

"Okay, thanks," I called after her as she jogged away to meet Natsu. I watched Natsu pick her up around the waist to bring her closer to him. He kissed her with so much love I felt jealous of their connection.

"Ugh, why can't I just be happy too!?"

I slammed my closed fist down on the table. I felt a shock of cold travel from somewhere in the center of my chest run down my arm resulting in an ice chunk forming under my hand. I froze, quite literally on the spot. I tentatively lifted my hand away from the tabletop. What had just happened? I had never done anything remotely like this before. I touched the tip of the mini iceburg with my finger. It was real. Maybe it was a fluke. Maybe my emotions messed with my water. Normally frustration and anger just cause my water to boil. But I guess there's a first time for everything. I took a couple deep breaths to calm myself. I brought my hands together and looked at them. After a moment they became clear, turned to water. I sighed in relief. A fluke after all, my water was still here. No sooner had I thought this then my hands took on a silvery sheen and began to harden. My eyes widened as my hands went from a liquid to a solid. I closed my eyes and brought my flesh hands back.

"There's no way this is happening."

I told myself as I placed my hands in front of me on the tabletop. I shivered slightly, as goose bumps rise along my arms. I opened my eyes again. I nearly fell backwards after I saw a cool, white, ice sheet spreading in front of me, its origin; my fingers. I got up, folding my arms to my chest. I glanced around frantically. Mirajane was at the bar chatting with Levy, and Gray and Natsu were arguing once more. I figured my best bet would be Levy. Lucy said she would know more about tidal changes. So that must mean she was smart. I believed it, she was always reading. I moved to go to her when Gray yelled,

"What the hell?!"

I turned and faced him and Natsu, my eyes growing wide with shock.


	2. From Ice to Water

Grays' POV

Weird. Awkward. Unnatural. That's how it feels to be me. I'd like to say I'm cool and collected, but, at least, not these days. These days instead of arguing and duking it out with Natsu and avoiding Juvia, I'm really sensitive to everyone and everything. It's not normal, it's as if she were the only thing that mattered. Of course as soon as I start giving her all this attention, she brushed me off; and this is the attention that she's been craving since she met me! It would've bruised my ego more if it hadn't been so out of the ordinary. She probably thought it was out of the ordinary too. I sat on the floor leaning my head against the wall, resting my elbow on one of my knees. I turned my eyes towards the entrance just as Juvia entered the guild. My heart stuttered for a moment then resumed at a lightning quick pace. I watched her walk smoothly past me, gliding by almost like a ghost. I don't know what possessed me to call her name out and wave, but I did. She turned, her long blue hair swishing over her shoulders. She smiled and waved at me in return. For a brief moment I thought I saw a flicker of sadness flit across her eyes but it left just as fast as it had come. She moved on, finding a place at a table on the opposite side of the guild. No sooner had she sat down than Lucy sat with her. For a moment I felt jealousy seeping into my pores, trying to lodge itself somewhere. I stamped it out. This was wrong, all wrong. This isn't me. This isn't how I'm supposed to be acting.

I closed my eyes and slammed my head back against the wall. I opened them again and looked across the room at Juvia and Lucy. Damn it. Still attractive. I slammed my head back to the wall and tried again. Juvias' pale skin was the color of frozen cream and damn if that wasn't beautiful. I grabbed my head with both hands and squeezed thinking; albeit irrationally, that whatever was causing all these ridiculous delusions would pop, or ooze out my ears, or something.

"This is fucking stupid," I muttered to no one, dropping my hands back down.

Natsu sauntered in at that moment and saw me sulking.

"What up ice prick?"

I glared up at him.

"What are you doing on the floor?"

I wasn't going to bother answering him, but figured one word wouldn't kill me.

"Nothing."

Wrong word. Natsu took the opportunity to make fun of me for just sitting on the floor wasting whatever life I had left. I tuned him out and watched Juvia again. She was listening intently to whatever it was Lucy was telling her. It still didn't make sense. I had never given Juvia a second thought until a couple days ago. Suddenly instead of seeing her and running away, I started wanting to go to her. I wanted to hold her, wanted to kiss her, wanted everything about her to be mine. I blushed at the direction my train of thought was heading in.

It was then I noticed Natsu had stopped talking. I glanced up at him confused as to why he had stopped insulting me. He was looking straight at me with big eyes and a sly smile.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?"

He smiled wider, teeth sharpened, looking for all the world like the Chesire Cat.

"You were looking at Juvia weren't you?"

My face burned and I looked away.

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were. I was watching you. If you're into her go make it happen."

I shrugged and stared at the floor.

"I'm not into her ok?"

"Yah, sure, whatever. That's why you're eyeballing her and turning the color of a strawberry right? Cuz you're NOT into her."

I grimaced, still not looking at him.

"Fuck off."

Instead of taking my advice though, he said,

"It's easy to tell her. Just walk up to her and kiss her. She probably won't even be mad at you. Girls seem to dig that sort of surprise shit."

I said nothing. As weird as this newfound awkwardness around Juvia was, this awkwardness with Natsu was about 10 times worse. Usually by now, I would have blasted him with ice out the front door. Instead, I'm here introverting on the floor, watching this absolutely beautiful girl like some love-sessed fangirl, and having Natsu give me kissing advice. The world must be ending, there was no other explanation.

I was about to leave and get out of this crazy place when Natsu exclaimed,

"Oh, you know what? You need a demonstration."

And with that he ran over to Lucy, she ran up to meet him, and they collided in a sea of hormones. I had been going to tell Natsu that just because his love life was going so well, didn't mean that he was suddenly the guru of all romances. I looked back at Juvia again and for a moment I thought that she hadn't noticed the lovebirds, but after a second she turned back to face the table, her shoulders slumped, her hair falling forward creating a silky blockade from onlookers like me. Natsu came running back to me.

"Ta da! Not hard."

"No one cares Natsu."

"Come on ice prick. Don't be such a pussy."

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

I felt a grin tugging on my lips. Finally, something that felt normal. I stood up and got in his face.

"Back off! Am not!"

"Are too! That's why you're not going after her!" Natsu called back.

"You better start getting nervous Lizard Breath!" I threatened.

"You're the one who's nervous. Look, your hands are basically dripping sweat."

I took a chance and glanced down at my upturned palms. It was true. My hands were glossy as if I had dunked them in a pool of water or something. Weird. I clenched them into fists.

"Doesn't matter because you're going down Fire Boy!"

I threw my hands together in front of me and released a geyser of solid ice at Natsu. At least that's what should have happened. Instead I turned into a giant hose and let loose a flood of straight up water sending Natsu into the opposite wall.

"What the hell!" I exclaimed.

Natsu sat slumped on the floor, completely drenched, his eyes wide.

"Gray, what happened to your ice?"

I couldn't answer. How could my life get any more complicated? I glanced around and saw Juvia already looking at me, standing with her hands clutched together. I felt myself grow warm under her gaze. I looked to the side of her, and saw Levy sitting at the bar. She was smart. She had figured out how to switch me and the other guild members back into our original bodies when we had read a spell that had switched us around into someone else's body. Maybe she could figure this out too. At the same time me and Juvia both yelled out,

"Levy!"


	3. Explanation

3rd Person POV

Levy looked up startled as the ice mage and water mage ran to her. Juvia reached her first.

"Levy help me, please! My water's gone!"

"Your what?" Levy asked confused.

Gray made it next and immedietly yelled,

"Levy, you're nerdy right?"

Levy held out her hands, stopping them both mid-rant. She had chosen to ignore Gray's 'nerdy' remark.

"Woah woah woah, hang on a second. What are you two even talking about?"

Juvia sighed and went first.

"My magic. It's not acting normal."

"Yah, mine neither." Gray added.

Levy pushed some of her hair out of her face and asked Juvia,

"How?"

Juvia proceeded to touch the bar's countertop and sent a ripple of white ice scurrying down its length. Both Gray's and Levy's eyes widened. Gray reached out and touched it. He thought it was a perfect sheet, and it made him miss his ice magic. Although, he found it crazy attractive that Juvia could do it. Ice was sort of his thing. But while his hand was on the ice sheet, water from him slushified it.

"And that's what's wrong with you huh?" Levy asked.

Gray shrugged and crossed his arms. Levy did a double take.

"Umm, Gray. Your clothes."

Gray noticed his clothes in a pile behind him.

"Goddamn it!" he cursed as he stalked off to retrieve his stuff. While Gray threw his pants on Levy tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"You know this sounds a lot like that swap magic. Oh, what's it called?"

"Like what happened last time?"

"No, different," Levy said shaking her head.

"A Tidal Change?" Juvia offered.

Levy clapped her hands together once.

"Yes, that's it."

"What's it?" Gray asked.

His pants were back on but he hadn't bothered to put his shirt on again.

"I think you two are having a Tidal Change."

"What in the hell is a Tidal Change?"

Levy didn't bother with the whole explanation and just tried keeping it simple.

"Since you two are naturally opposites, if one of you changes, then the other has to compensate by changing too."

"Huh?"

Levy face palmed. Sometimes she worried about him. Juvia helped out.

"We switched."

Gray crossed his arms huffing.

"That explains a lot."

He shifted uncomfortably away from Juvia. Juvia looked away in the opposite direction. Levy was confused by their actions, but instead said,

"I have a book on it. Wait here for me for a second ok? I'll be right back."

She ducked around them and ran on.

'Maybe this'll give them a chance to talk things over. This'll be much easier when we understand it all.' Levy thought.


	4. Confessions and Confusion

Grays' POV

My heart was hammering. I stayed still with my arms crossed, staring at the floor. I was nervous, and I didn't like it. Knowing that Juvia was right beside me, within reach, was driving me crazy. I leaned against the counter. Please hurry the hell up Levy. It startled me when Juvia spoke.

"Gray?"

Hearing her say my name sent shivers down my spine. I looked over at her. She was a lot closer than I thought she had been. Close enough to where I could feel her warm breath on my bare arms.

"Yah?"

She twisted her fingers together nervously not meeting my gaze for a moment. I swallowed. It was taking all my willpower not to take her face between my hands and kiss her 'til I collapsed. I blushed at this thought. Juvia looked back at me and I'm pretty sure took a second to take in the color on my face. Being under her observation only made the color deepen, I'm sure of it.

"Gray, Lucy told me about this 'Tidal Change' thing, and she said that, umm, well, not only does magic change, but um, our personalities sort of switch too."

That explained why I was crazily drawn to Juvia. She had been the same way towards me. But, if this is true, then that must mean that the trait she got from me was my constant cool brushing off. Damn, I suck. She moved a step closer, almost brushing up against me. All my nerves were tingling in anticipation.

"So, I was wondering. What part of me do you have?"

"Uh, your water magic. I thought it was obvious."

She shook her head.

"No, I mean, personality-wise. I thought maybe…you would…um…."

We both got a little flustered and I knew why. She wanted to know if I had, perchance, fallen in love with her in the same way she had fallen for me. I didn't let her stutter along and just said,

"Yes."

Her eyes met mine. Oceans where I could let myself swim forever but I wasn't done. I placed my hands on both of her shoulders and leaned my head against hers.

"Gray?" she whispered.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. If I was going to say this, I would have to say this now, it was my only chance.

"Juvia, I think I'm in love with you. I don't know how. I don't know why. I just am. I don't know how this will end, but however it does, I just wanted you to know."

I opened my eyes again. She was still here. This was still real. And I was still probably a total tool. She placed her hands on mine that were still holding her. She whispered softly,

"I'm sorry Gray. I'm trying to bring it back. I really am but, I just don't feel that way about you. Not anymore. I can't, and I'm really trying. It's as if something's stopping me."

I brought her hands together and brought them close to me, resting them over my heart. She could probably feel the way my heart was exploding against my rib cage.

"No," I said calmly. "I'm sorry."

I kissed her forehead then released her hands and stepped back.

"Come on out Levy. I know you're hiding back there."

Levy peeked out from underneath the bar, clutching a book to her chest.

"How did you know?"

I shrugged. "I just did."

Levy came scurrying back around to the front.

"Umm, I only just got here. I really didn't hear much, if that helps. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I'm sure Mirajane will tell you the rest. Won't you Mirajane?"

A pale hand snuck out from under the counter and gave us a thumbs up.

"How did you know about her too?" Juvia asked.

I shrugged again. She had been just a guess, but I had assumed the matchmaker in her would never forgive herself if she passed up this eavesdropping opportunity. When I met Juvias' gaze again, she quickly lowered her eyes. Levy sensing the discomfort quickly flipped open her book to a marked page and flipped it so we could see it. She pointed to a paragraph and said,

"This incantation should pull the opposite mannerisms from you and push them into the original."

My eyes scanned the page not understanding a word of it. Levy continued,

"The only problem is that it might not get rid of it totally."

"What do you mean not totally?" Juvia asked.

Levy ran a hand through her short blue hair.

"Well, like, the traits will still be there and your magic will be fixed, or vice versa. Or at least something along those lines."

Juvia looked thoughtful. For a brief moment I thought about staying the way I was. But I was pretty sure that Juvia wanted her water back, the same way I craved my ice. At the same time I didn't want my nonchalance, the same cold hearted emotion that's kept Juvia in pain for a long time. Maybe it was just my switched trait talking, but I didn't want to hurt her anymore.

"Let's do it." Juvia said.

Levy nodded then looked to me.

"Gray are you willing to do it?"

No.

"Yes."

"Ok. Someone get me a knife."

"What the hell?!" I panicked.

Mirajanes' hand came out from under the bar again clutching a pocket knife. Levy took it from her and said,

"Calm down Gray. We need a passageway for the traits to flow through. I'm just going to nick both of your hands and you'll put them together. A doorway of sorts."

She looked up at me and smirked,

"Unless, of course, you're scared Gray."

I held a hand out to her.

"Fuck that."

She slid the blade down my palm carefully, trying not to hurt me too much. Juvia held her hand out and Levy did the same to her. Juvia winced and so did I.

"Ok", Levy said putting the knife back on the countertop. "Join hands."

I held out my hand blood dotting my palm; Juvia mirrored me.

"Ok, I'll recite this incantation and you may or may not feel anything."

Levy said putting on her reading glasses.

"So, you don't know if this'll hurt or not?" Juvia asked, worried.

"Nope. It's a trial run."

Juvia didn't seem to like the idea of being a guinea pig. Her grip tightened on my hand, I squeezed back.

"Ok, here I go." Levy said and began reciting the paragraph from her book.

It sounded like a bunch of gibberish. I couldn't play back a single word if I tried. I closed my eyes waiting to feel something to let me know it was working. Nothing. Levy finished and looked at us, curious to see how we felt.

"Nothing happened."Juvia said.

She tugged on my hand, but I didn't let go. I couldn't let go. No really, I couldn't let go. It was as if our hands had been welded together. While me and Juvia tried prying ourselves apart, Levy looked over her manuscripts again.

"Oh, I guess it's like that because it'll take a few minutes. So just sit tight and let the magic do its work." Levy said with a smile.

She closed the book and walked away. Juvia and I stood against the bar, hands still connected. This wasn't so bad. Juvia was staring at our intertwined hands and so was I. I secretly wished, during the transfer, that at some point, she would have half of her love back, and for a few minutes we could be in love with each other at the same time.


	5. Middle Ground

Juvias POV

I sat there holding his hand. If only I could enjoy this moment as much as I had wanted. Maybe this moment would be a memory that I would swoon over in those fantasies I remembered having. I wanted to love him again. He was the whole reason I was here at Fairy Tale. Hell, he was the reason I walked under a rainless sky every day. I owed him everything and yet could give him nothing. It was frustrating. I looked up, looked at Gray, looked for any sign that I was loving him again. He met my stare and stared back. Guilt was rolling in my stomach. His steel gray eyes had a spark, a shine to them. He loved me, I knew he did. And here I am a useless waste of space. I tried to think that his love wasn't real, it was just the tidal change making him different. But, I knew it wasn't true. The love I felt towards him now was the love he had held towards me. As a friend, a fellow Fairy Tale member, but reserved. There was fear in that love. Fear over what would happen to me had he loved me truly. His teacher and Lyon, the two people he had connected with after losing his family, and one was dead, the other had once tried to kill him. He hadn't wanted anything to go wrong with me so he kept himself distant, distracted, disengaged. I understood everything now, but it was too late. He'll only do it again and I'll only fall for him again.

I took in every part of him, his eyes still filled with devotion (I guess we haven't begun switching traits and were still switching magic), his lips curled into a slight smile as he watches me rake over his every feature, his dark hair so black it was almost blue, his shoulders and chest rippling with strength and baring the symbol of our guild.

"I'm sorry."

I surprised myself by speaking this out loud.

"For what? You already apologized." Gray wondered.

I grimaced at the memory of his confession but then shivered at the memory of his gentle kiss.

"I'm sorry for causing all of this. It's probably my fault."

I hung my head in shame. His free hand came around and cupped my chin bringing me back up to face him.

"No, it's not your fault. And even if it was, who cares? It was bound to happen anyway. You would have eventually fallen out of love with me, and I would have eventually fallen in love with you."

He blushed then continued with,

"But, I guess, in your own way, you know that now."

A corner of my mouth lifted as I nodded slowly.

"And I guess in my own way, I'll always love you," he said.

We looked into each other's eyes, for once not wanting to break this fragile connection. I felt his warmth, his breath, his skin, and my heart began to beat a little faster. He'd always love me. No matter how it turned out for us in the end. It was an exciting thought, an enticing thought, an encouraging thought. But I wanted that now, where I could feel it and return it. Gray inhaled, almost sharply. His eyes, the spark there flickered. The moment I thought 'what if' was the moment it happened.

I felt it in my tingling nerves, in my rapidly increasing pulse, in the warm flush that started in my arm and shot straight through to my heart. And then I saw him, a beautiful boy sitting across from me, who loved me. And I loved him.

The wall was gone, the fear was gone, the hesitation was gone. I felt it in every breath I took, in every heartbeat, in every fiber of my being.

"Gray."

I said his name and it tasted delicious flowing off my tongue. He searched my eyes for the sign.

"Juvia?"

I smiled, tears forming in my eyes. He reached his hand up and stroked my cheek. I placed my hand over it.

"Say it again," I begged.

I needed to hear those words from him while he still meant them. He didn't need to be asked twice.

"I love you Juvia."

Pleasure rolled down my spine, wave after wave. I knew this moment would be remembered forever.

"I love you too Gray."

He smiled a devilish grin.

"God that was the best thing I've ever heard in my life," Gray sighed.

He inhaled again and the spark in his eyes dulled another shade. He winced.

"Does it hurt?"

I asked running my hand through his hair. He nodded then said silently,

"It should hurt when your heart freezes."

His heart was reverting back to an iceberg and his body wasn't handling the re-freezing very well. He was probably going to shut down. He looked at me, his eyes still bright enough to take my breath away. I placed my hand on his cheek, it felt cold. I could feel my heart thawing, the cold demeanor melting away. I couldn't help it, I began to cry. I shook my head whimpering,

"Please don't go."

It wasn't fair. Our time together was so short. Gray leaned closer to me and kissed my forehead again, his lips cold. He kissed me once on each cheek, kissing my tears away. He looked into my eyes, his steely irises for the briefest of moments on fire. I didn't give him another chance to pull away. Instead I took my free hand and wrapped it around his neck and pulled him closer. I had never really kissed anyone before, but Gray would have been impossible to top.

At first we were tentative, slow, gentle. He tasted like new snow, cold and fresh, and wonderful. I had my hand in his hair, while his hand knotted in mine. It was a good thing we were leaning against the counter, his kiss was making me weak everywhere. It was sweet yet dangerously new. I couldn't form any coherent thoughts.

That is, until he inhaled sharply again.

"No no no no no," I said against his lips. "Please, stay with me."

He pulled me closer, which I thought was an impossibility.

"You know I want to," he whispered, his breath dancing over my tongue.

His grip turned vise-like, I almost couldn't breathe. Not that I wanted to. Not unless it meant that Gray and I could stay together a little longer. I held him, his skin was icy, icier than it had ever been. He looked up at me one more time, said,

"I love you Juvia. I always will, no matter what I may say in the future."

He quietly fell unconscious in my arms. I slowly slid down to the floor gently bringing Gray down with me.

I cried, shaking him,

"Gray! Come back, please! Don't go yet!"

All eyes in the guild were on us. They probably had been from the start. I ignored them all. I cradled Gray's head to my chest, and kissed the top of his hair. I realized Gray had gone back to below zero, as I released his hand and it hung limply at his side. The cut from the knife completely healed, scarless.


	6. Epilogue

3rd person

The guild members didn't know how to approach the topic of what had happened between Juvia and Gray. Levy had shown up about a minute after Gray had passed out. She had taken in the scene and calmly placed a hand on Juvia's shoulder.

"Let's get him to bed so he'll wake up somewhere comfortable."

Juvia had said nothing, simply nodded. They carried Gray upstairs to a spare bedroom and Levy had left them alone. While Juvia waited for Gray to wake up she did a self-analysis. She loved Gray, of that much she was sure. However, it was more centered, more controlled, less fanatical than she remembered.

'So, I kept my love. I guess that means I have no water magic,' she thought.

She couldn't help checking anyways. She moved to the dresser by the window. On top was a vase with a flower. She moved her hand over it. No sooner had she done that than the vase was filled to the brim with water.

"That's not right," she said aloud touching the water.

It was freezing.

"What's not right?"

She jumped at the unexpected noise almost knocking the vase over.

"Gray, you're awake!"

Gray sat up and stretched, his muscles flexing with the movement. Juvia blushed for noticing such a thing.

"So, what's wrong?" Gray questioned getting up.

He walked over to her and stood in front of her crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"My guess is that you don't have your emotions back," He tried.

She shook her head.

"No? But you're not tackling me like your usual self, you're still cool. Didn't Levy say that we'd only fix one thing and not the other?"

"No," Juvia said, "she said we _might_ not. We could go ask her about it.

Gray nodded, "Yah, ok."

They made their way back downstairs to the main floor. They ignored the various stares from the guild members. Levy was back at the bar, and Mirajane had come out from wherever she had been hiding last and was flipping through the book Levy had recently used. Mirajane noticed their approach first and nudged Levy. The script mage turned and smiled slightly.

"Hey guys, how are you feeling?"

"The same," Juvia answered.

"What, it didn't work?"

Levy took the book back from Mirajane and leafed through it.

"I wonder what went wrong."

"No, no, no", Juvia amended. "I mean, like totally originally same. As in I love him and I have my water magic."

Juvia avoided Gray's eyes as soon as she dropped the L-Bomb.

"So, nothing stayed from Gray's characteristics?"

Levy asked allowing Mirajane to take the book back.

"Well, I'm not as crazy over him as I used to be. Plus, my water is really cold."

"Mhmm," Levy mused and turned to Gray.

"And what about you?"

Gray shrugged.

"Don't know. Let's find out."

Gray put his hands in front of him, aimed, and smacked Natsu in the back with ice. Natsu was not amused as he yelled back,

"Aww, what the hell man!? I liked you better when you were whipped and in love with Juvia!"

Gray flipped him off. Secretly, though, he mused over his internal vibes. He didn't fully understand the emotions coursing through him, but he decided to go with the flow.

"So, your ice is intact, but it's a deeper blue color," Levy noticed as she studied the leftover chunks of Gray's attack.

She looked back up at him.

"And your emotional mannerisms?"

Gray just shrugged again, a good sign that he was himself.

"Interesting," said Levy taking the book away from Mirajane who was not too happy.

"I wonder how you both got two totally different responses from the magic."

"I don't think it really matters does it?" Gray asked. "We have our magic back and are more or less ourselves."

Levy released her grip on the book which was promptly stolen by Mirajane again.

"I suppose."

But Juvia was still puzzled. Even though they kept their own traits, how did she still have Gray's cool head and his temperature in her water, and how was her color embedded in his ice? She said as much to Levy.

"That's true. In order for your switched traits to come back to you, they'd have had to have made a revolution through the pathway in your hands, and a second pathway. But there was no second pathway was there?" Levy began reaching for the book again but Mirajane slapped her hand away and said,

"Instead of stealing the book again how about I just tell you what the second passageway was ok."

"You know?" Levy asked, eyes wide.

Mirajane flipped her long white hair over her shoulder.

"Of course. I was here the whole time," she said tapping the bar's countertop.

Everyone had completely forgotten about Mirajane's 'under the table' eavesdropping.

"It's simple really. The magic switched through their hands, found its way to the top, and switched back again through their kiss. Their kiss was the second pathway."

Explanation over, Mirajane went back to the book smiling smugly to herself. Levy smiled slyly at the pair.

"That must have been one hell of a kiss to switch up enough magic to flip your scripts like that."

They both fidgeted a bit.

"You could say that," Gray said looking anywhere but at the girls looking at him.

He remembered that kiss just as well as Juvia did. The memory was heating his cheeks, something he hadn't been able to do before. He didn't want to hang around looking like a complete douche canoe.

"Well, I've had enough of this guild for today. I'm heading out."

Gray looked to Juvia.

"You coming?"

"Uh, yah, sure," she stuttered.

Juvia was still majorly disappointed that Gray would never love her with that much passion again. But she had the kiss to keep, and she would have to be satisfied with that. Gray held his hand out to her and she took it thinking he was feeling sorry for her. She believed that she was back in the friendzone.

But his hand tightened around hers. Juvia looked up at Gray in question. She saw the faint blush, the small crooked smile, and there in his eyes, she saw the spark.


End file.
